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Pet owners need to take notes from their cat or or dog. The right way to start your day is with a nice early morning stretch routine. Not only does stretching help ease our desk-bound backs, it gets the blood flowing and generally puts us in the right mindset for the day. And it's especially important for helping prevent injuries before an early-morning workout or jog. All that said, there's so much to do when you wake up that it can be hard to dedicate precious minutes to stretching. But we guarantee it’s a better way to start the day than scrolling TikTok in bed. Below experts explain the benefits of stretching in the morning and give you a sample stretch routine to get you on the right track. Why Stretching Is Good for You Stretching is a non-negotiable of daily life, according to David Wiener, trainer and nutrition specialist at lifestyle coaching app Freeletics. “Stretching is extremely important, even if you’re not necessarily doing any exercise. You should be daily stretching no matter what, and no matter how active or inactive you are,” says Wiener. In fact, daily stretching may do more than simply make you feel a bit more limber. “It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which increases your blood flow to the muscles,” Wiener says. “It can also help release endorphins, which enhances your mood and can help reduce pain.” Why Stretching in the Morning Is Key Ideally, we’d all be flinging our arms overhead and kicking out our legs 24/7, but at a minimum, stretching in the morning holds special benefits. “After lying flat for eight hours our heart rate slows and muscles tend to tighten,” Mitch Raynsford, strength and conditioning coach at P3RFORM, says. “Therefore, we need something to kickstart our day both physically and mentally. Stretching has been shown to increase serotonin levels, the ‘feel good’ hormone that reduces stress and supports reductions in depression and anxiety.” There's a scientific reason for this, Raynsford explains. “Your Golgi tendon organs prevent your muscles from over-stretching by inhibiting nerve impulses,” Raynsford adds. “This is heightened in the mornings so stretching can help recalibrate what the body believes is a ‘normal’ muscle length along with improving blood flow to the working muscles." In fact, if you stick to a morning stretching routine, you can actually lengthen your muscles. “If performed frequently this length can be improved week by week,” Raynsford says. "However, we need to be strong in these new lengths so ensuring we add in mobility and strength work.” What Does Stretching Actually Do to Your Body? We've already established that stretching gets the blood flowing, which increases endorphins and serotonin levels. But that's not all. “Stretching has numerous health benefits, some of them including improving your posture, flexibility, range of motion and blood circulation,” Weiner adds. “Stretching also can help reduce the risk of an injury.” What’s more, starting the day by limbering up can help prevent problems later—especially if your low back bothers you after a long work day. “With a large proportion of the workforce now desk-bound there is a new pandemic of tight chest and back muscles leading to something known as the ‘desk gremlin’ posture,” says Raynsford. “This can be improved by frequently stretching the pectorals and strengthening the upper back a few times each week.” In fact, according to Harvard Health, regular stretching keeps muscles “long, lean, and flexible.” Meanwhile, data from the National Center For Complimentary And Integrative Health found that yoga stretching can even assist with weight loss, as well as improving general wellness, sleep, emotional health, reducing pain from headaches, easing joint pain, and relieving lower back and neck pain. It’s vital for anyone who's active too. “Stretching every day will prepare your body for any kind of activity you’re doing,” Wiener says. “If you’re putting your muscles under strain, stretching afterwards will help relieve them, and prevent injuries. This is why you should always cool down after exercise, as cool downs exist of mostly stretching, and depending on what muscles you use, you can especially target them whilst stretching.” A Quick and Easy Morning Stretch Routine Now we know why stretching is so important, try and clear 15 minutes in your calendar every morning and try the below routine. Per Wiener, who put it together, it can be done any time, anywhere, but will be of particular benefit first thing in the morning. Complete each stretch once, holding for at least 20 seconds. And don’t forget to hydrate afterwards. Knee Hugs: “Bring your knees towards your chest and hold, then let go slightly and move your legs in a circle to help mobilize your lower back before you get up.” Rotating the Spine: “Whilst laying down, keep your upper body facing forward and take one leg across your body with one arm on the side fully extended.” Low Lunges: “Start in a lunge position with your left leg forward, and touch your right knee on the ground. Place your left elbow on your left knee, and slowly twist your torso to the right. Reach your right arm behind you and hold the stretch for 20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.” Neck Stretching: “Simply route your neck forwards, backwards, and side to side.” Now go forth and stretch. A version of this story originally appeared in British GQ.
